YouworkinacottonplantationinGeorgia,USA,in1866.Yourgrandfatherwasaslave.Yourfatherwasaslave.Youonlyknow life as aslave, eventhoughonthe 18th December 1865,thel3th amendmentoftheUSConstitutionhadofficiallysetfreeallblackslavesacrossAmerica.Almostallnewspapershadonthatday’sfrontpagethesameheadline,“SLAVERYLEGALLYABOLISHED.”Yetyoucontinuetoliveinfearandsqualor-nothinghaschanged.Althoughthelawhademancipatedyou,itcouldn’tfreeyoufromaslave’smentality.

HowhavewebeensetfreefromSin?Arewegettingbetterandbetterthroughvictoryoversin?Dowesinlessnowthanwhenwefirstbelieved?When I honestly look over mylife,Icannotsay‘yes’tothat.No.Deliverancefromsincomesthroughdeathtoit.Itisuselesstostruggleagainstsin.Wemustacknowledgehowpowerfulitis,andthenreckonourselvesasdeadwithChrist,yetaliveinHisresurrection.